Three states in the Deep South—Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana—have seen major improvements in student reading scores after the state legislatures changed educational policies.
Mississippi saw the biggest ranking change in terms of fourth grade reading, jumping from the second-worst state in the country in 2013 to the 21st spot in 2022, The Associated Press reported. During the pandemic, Louisiana and Alabama were the only other states to see modest gains in fourth grade reading.
Among low-income fourth graders, Mississippi ranked in second place for reading scores in 2022, just behind Florida, which took the top spot. Louisiana came in at 11th and Alabama at 27th….